Hose reel frame



y 7, 1953 D. c. HANNAY 2,644,652

' HOSE REEL FRAME Filed April 14,1952

Ema-Hr C! Ham/4r ATTORNEY Patented July 7, 1953 nose REEL FRAME Dwight C. Hannay, Westerlo, N. Y., assignor to Clifford B. Hannay & Son, Inc,, Westerlo, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 14, 1952, Serial No. 282,130

This invention relates in general to hose reel apparatus, and the like, and deals, more particularly, with an improved construction of a frame for supporting or mounting a rotatable reel on which a length of hose, cable, rope, or other material is adapted to be wound on or unwound from the reel.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a frame for a hose reel apparatus, or the like, of the kind described, wherein the frame is fabricated as a rigid, compact unit which is of minimum size and relatively light in weight, and yet is of high strength and durability as necessary to withstand distortion and deformation of the frame as a result of heavy loads and extraordinary forces taking place on the apparatus in the use thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a frame for a hose reel, or the like, with the frame embodying a highly simplified construction made up of a minimum number of parts which are adapted to be readily fabricated into an all-welded unit by economical mass production methods of assembly.

Another object of the invention is to provide a frame of this character for a hose reel, or the like, in which the frame is constructed of parts made of aluminum or similar lightweight metal in an all-welded unit having the combined advantages and desirable characteristics of lightness in weight, high strength and endurance as necessary to withstand the most severe service conditions over a long period of service.

Further objects and advantages, and other new and useful features in the construction, arrangement and general combination of parts and elements of the invention will be apparent as the following description proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings, for purposes of illustration but not of limitation, in which like refer-' ence characters designate like parts throughout, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a hose reel apparatus having a frame provided in accordance with the invention; and,

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the individual parts of the frame of Fig. 1 in substantially the position in which said parts are assembled together to provide the completed frame.

Referring now, more particularly, to the drawings, the improved frame construction of the invention is disclosed, by way of illustration only, as employed in a hose reel apparatus. However, the invention is not in any way limited to the 5 Claims. v(c1. 242-134) specific type of hose equally applicable to any other suitable hose reel apparatus as well as a wide range and variety of applications and uses as a frame for supporting or mounting a reel for a length of cable, rope, wire, or other material which may be wound on a reel.

In the present example, the invention is disclosed in Fig. l in connection with a hose reel apparatus A. The reel, designated generally I, is shown comprising a pair of spaced discs 3 on each side of a central drum 5 preferably in the form of a sheet metal cylinder suitably secured between said discs 3. The drum 5 is provided with a cutout opening 1 through which there extends an L-shaped elbow 9, or the like. The L-shaped elbow 9 is connected at its inner end in communication with a source of fluid supplied through the end of a tubular portion (not shown) of the shaft II extending axially through the drum with the ends of said shaft II projecting beyond the discs 3 of the reel I in position to be supported by a suitable bearing [3 mounted on each side of the frame of the apparatus.

Such a bearing l3 may be of any suitable type in the form of a yoke for housing a projecting end of the shaft II and provided with or without a fluid-type packing joint together with an enlarged base portion 15 which is supported on theassociated side of the frame and secured thereto by welding, bolts, rivets or other suitable fastening means.

The hose (not shown) is connected to the outlet end lll of said elbow 9 outwardly of the drum 5 and from this point is coiled around said drum 5 between the discs 3 in the usual manner in which such hose is wound upon the reel and is unwound therefrom'when the free end of the hose is pulled outwardly from the reel. A ring gear I! is riveted or otherwise concentrically attached to the outer side of one of the discs 3 of the reel I in position to cooperate with a pinion which is cranked to actuate said ring gear I! and thereby rotate the reel l in rewinding the hose thereon.

The present invention is directed to the provision of the frame for any such hose reel, or the like, in a simplified and compact construction which is both strong and light in weight. To this end, the component parts of the frame preferably are made of aluminum or other suitable light weight metal and the same fabricated into an all-welded unit without theuse of bolts and nuts, rivets or other extraneous fastening means that necessarily add to the total weight of any reel shown, but rather, is

such frame and require an inordinate number of time consuming assembling operations.

The frame of the apparatus, designated generally 20, is shown comprising a pair of generally hollow side frame members 22 in the form of box- 23 at the junctions of their lower ends with the lower horizontal flange 261). These lower horizontal flanges 26b of said side members 22 serve as base flanges in the frame of the apparatus, while the horizontal upper flange 260 in each side frame member 22 defines a shelf supporting the bearing I3 which mounts the associated projecting end of the shaft of the hose reel apparatus, or the like, as aforesaid. Preferably these side frame members 22 are formed with the vertical wall 24 thereof having an enlarged cutout area 28 which provides for a substantial reduction in weight without materially diminishing the over-all strength of said side members 22.

The box-like side members 22 are connected to a pair of similar horizontal cross bars 30 having their ends 3| positioned within the lower corners 23 of said box-like side members 22. These cross bars 36 preferably are in the form of lightweight aluminum tubes having a generally rectangular cross section. The cross bars 30, accordingly, are provided with right-angled end portions 3| which seat snugly against the right angled inner surfaces of the lower corners 23 of the box-like side members 22. These lower corner portions 23 of the side members 22 actually define partial sockets having substantially rightangledinner surfaces which bear directly against the adjacent right-angled surfaces on the end portions 3| of the cross bars 30 in abutting relation therewith, and with the extremities of said cross bars 30 abutting the inner surfaces of the vertical walls 24 of said side frame members 22 in the completed assembly of the frame as shown in Fig. 1. In this relation, the base flanges 262) on said side frame members 22 together with horizontal cross bars 39 define the over-all base of the frame 20 of the apparatus.

The cross bars 39 are secured to the side members 22 in such assembled relation preferably by welding 35 extending along the lower inner edges of the vertical flanges 26a adjacent to the ends 3| of the cross bars 39. Any other suitable securing means may be employed but, in any event, the cross bars 30 are secured to the side members 22 with the right-angled end surfaces 3| thereof positioned in positive abutting relation with the right-angled inner surfaces of the lower corners 23 of saidside members 22; this securing arrangement with these right-angled portions in abutting relation necessarily minimizes the effects of many loads and forces which might otherwise be transmitted to the welding 35- or other securing means and thereby provides the joints between the cross bars 30 and side members 22 in a construction of relatively high strength and durability as necessary to withstand any force which might. tend to deform or distort the completed frame "20 in the use of the apparatus; In addition, the joints, thus provided, are.

strengthened by special reinforcing means such asgusset plates 40 in the form of generally triangular brackets, or the like. These gusset plates 40, areprovided in a preferred constructionby a simple plate member which is bent to define a right-angled side brace 4| merging into a diagonal top brace or strut 42. Such gusset plates 40 serve to reinforce the joints of the end portions 3| of the cross bars 30 as assembled within the lower corners 23 of the box-like sides 22 of the frame; the arrangement is such that the adjoining lower edges of the side brace 4| and top brace 42 of a gusset plate are seated snugly on the top surface of an end portion 3| of a cross bar 30, with the vertical edge of the side brace 4| and adjoining upper edge of the top brace 42 bearing against the inner surface of the vertical wall 24 of the associated box-like side member 22 of the frame.

7 In this relation, further welding 45 in continuation of the welding 35 is provided along side brace 4| of a gusset plate 40 to join the same to the side frame members 22' in this regard, and also, by suitable welding of the upper edge of the top brace 42 of each gusset plate 40 to the adjacent inner surface of the vertical wall 24 within each side frame member 22. In addition, said gusset plates 4|] are each united to the end portion 3| of the cross bar 30 on which it is seated by welding 41 extending along the lower edges of the side brace 4| and top brace 42 of each of said gusset plates 40. I

It will be appreciated that the frame construction 20 in accordance with the invention is one of high strength and durability by reason of the stable and solid, nature of the joints formed by the right-angled end portions 3| of the cross bars 30 seated in positive abutting relation with the corresponding right-angled inner surfaces of the lower corners 23 of the box-like sides 22 in a manner whereby such joints readily resist any twisting moment or other force tending to loosen the joints or otherwise cause a distortion or deformation of the frame 20. In addition, the frame is provided with exceptional strength, stability and durability by reason of the special gusset plates 40 which are welded to both the cross bars 30 and the side frame members 22 in forming the joints and securing the component parts of the frame in assembled relation, while otherwise reinforcing such joints to provide the same and the overall frame structure with a high factor of safety as required in a hose reel apparatus, or the like, intended for heavy duty applications wherein the apparatus is subjectedto constant usage and rough handling, etc.

Another important feature of the invention resides in the fact that the frame 20 is provided by an advantageous simplified construction having a high safety factor in a compact, minimum size unit that may be readily installed in a relatively small compartment or the like in a manner which is highly desirable in installations on vehicles such as fire trucks and other fluid delivery equipment where space is at a premium.

While the invention has been described in detail with a specific example, such example is intended as an illustration only, inasmuch as it will be apparent that other modifications in the the appended claims rather than by the fore going description, with all changes falling within the scope, meaning and range of equivalency of claims intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a reel apparatus, a reel, a frame comprising a pair of spaced upright side members mounting said reel therebetween, each of said side members having flanges on its periphery in-- cluding a base flange and spaced vertical flang said side members being spaced apart with said flanges on one side member extending toward said flanges on the other side member, a pair' of horizontal cross bars extending in v parallel spaced relation between said side members, each end of said cross bars resting on and overlapping the base flange of a side member adjacentto and overlapping a vertical flange of said side member, and means securing each end of said cross bars to the adjacent vertical flange of the associated side member of the frame. 3

2. In a reel apparatus, a reel, a frame comprising a pair of spaced upright side members mounting said reel therebetween, eaclrofi said side members having flanges on its periphery including a base flange and spaced vertical flanges, said side members being spaced apart with said flanges on one side member extending toward said flanges on the other side membexya pair of horizontal cross bars extending in parallel spaced relation between said side members, each end of said cross bars resting on and overlapping the base flange of a side member adjacent to and overlapping a vertical flange of said side member, and a gusset at each end of said cross bars secured to the end of a cross bar and to the adjacent vertical flange of the associated side member of the frame.

3. In a reel apparatus, a reel, a frame comprising a pair of spaced upright side members mounting said reel therebetween, each of said side members having flanges on its periphery including a base flange and spaced vertical flanges, said side members being spaced apart with said flanges on one side member extending toward said flanges on the other side member; a pair of horizontal cross bars extending in parallel spaced relation between said side members, said cross bars comprising elongate tubes having a generally rectangular cross section, each end of said cross bars resting on and overlapping the base flange of a side member adjacent to and overlapping a vertical flange of saidside member and being secured thereto, and a gusset at each end of .said cross bars secured to the end of a cross bar and to the adjacent vertical flange of the associated side member of the frame.

4. In a reel apparatus, a reel, a frame com- I prising a pair of spaced upright side members mounting said reel therebetween, each of said side members having flanges on its periphery including a base flange and spaced vertical flanges, said side members being spaced apart with said flanges on one side member extending toward said flanges on the other side member, a pair of horizontal cross bars extending in parallel spaced relation between said side members, said cross bars comprising elongate tubes having a generally rectangular cross section, each end of said cross bars resting on the base flange of a side member adjacent a vertical flange of said side member and being welded thereto, and a gusset at each end of said cross bars having a side brace ancla diagonal top brace both Welded to the end of a cross bar and with said side brace welded to the adjacent vertical flange of the associated side member of the frame.

5. In a reel apparatus, a reel, a frame comprising, a pair of spaced upright side members mounting said reel therebetween, each of said side members being provided in a box-like con-- I struction comprising a vertical wall and peripheral flanges including a base flange and spaced vertical flanges and a top flange, said side members being spaced apart with said flanges on one side member extending toward said flanges on the other side member, a pair of horizontal cross bars extending in parallel spaced relation between said side members, said cross bars comprising elongate tubes having a generally rectangular cross section, each end of u said cross bars resting on the base flange of a side member adjacent a vertical flange of said side member and being welded thereto, and a gusset at each end of said cross bars having a side brace and a diagonal top brace both welded to the end of a cross bar and with said side brace welded to the adjacent vertical flange of the associated side member of the frame.

DWIGHT c. HANNAY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS I Number Name Date 1,474,872 Witt Nov. 20, 1923 1,836,815 Reeves -Dec. 15, 1931 1,984,712 Wallsten Dec. 18, 1934 2,459,080 Killius Jan. 11, 1949 2,495,392 Smith Jan..24, 1950 2,501,985 Benjamin Mar. 28, 1950 

